Under which of the following Acts of British India did the British government take direct control of the administration of India in its own hands?

The correct answer is Government of India Act 1858.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Historical Context: Prior to 1858, the British East India Company (a joint-stock charter company) ruled over large parts of India. However, the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as the Sepoy Mutiny) exposed the limitations and mismanagement of the East India Company's rule, prompting the British Crown to take direct responsibility for the administration of India.
2. Enactment of the Act: To address this, the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act 1858 on August 2, 1858. This act formally liquidated the East India Company and transferred its functions, territories, and revenues to the British Crown.
3. Key Provisions:
- The administration was to be carried out in the name of Her Majesty, the Queen.
- The office of the Secretary of State for India was created, vested with complete authority and control over the Indian administration.
- The Governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy of India, serving as the direct representative of the British Crown in India.
4. Why other options are incorrect:
- The Bengal Regulation Act of 1818 was primarily concerned with preventive detention.
- The Charter Act of 1813 renewed the East India Company's charter for another 20 years and ended its trade monopoly in India (except for tea and trade with China), but it did not transfer direct control of administration to the Crown.
- The Indian Contract Act of 1872 is a law relating to contracts and has no connection with the administrative transfer of power.